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U-KISS expected to take part in K-Pop Icon Search (KISPINOY) grand launch on April 22

A free concert by U-KISS (in photo) and South Korean girl group Laboum will take place on April 22 at the Mall of Asia Music Hall.

A multi-million peso recording and management contract in Korea await the champion, and possibly another one from the top 10 finalists of the biggest K-Pop Icon Search (KISPINOY) that will kick off on April 22 at the Mall of Asia Music Hall. A free concert by U-KISS and South Korean girl group Laboum will be part of the grand launching.

“We’ve always been amazed by the incredible pool of talents that can be found in the Philippines. All over the world, Filipinos are recognized for their passion in singing and performance. That’s why we’re here. We believe that a Filipino is the next K-Pop idol,” says Matthew Choi, KISPINOY founder and producer.

KISPINOY is a reality-based talent search that aims to discover young and talented Filipino K-Pop performers. To be shown on TV5, the aspiring contestants will be battling it out on stage every week to gain stature in the Asian and global music industry.

YU&IQ International, Inc., in partnership with YU&IQ Korea and NH Media, is the producer of the show. YU&IQ Korea (formerly Ryu’s Entertainment) is a major investor of KISPINOY. The company is the creator of award-winning film and television artists like Suh Young Hee and Lee Mun Sik. NH Media is a South Korean record label and entertainment agency that currently manages U-KISS, Lim Chang Jung, The Ray, Kim Jeong Seo and LABOUM.

Expect some of Korea’s most prominent artists to be seen as guests and/or judges on the show. They will also mentor the contestants who will eventually become the next K-Pop sensations from a world-class brand.

A 3-billion dollar industry from South Korea, K-Pop was the main driver of the Korean Wave, spreading across Asia, to the West and other parts of the world. As described by TIME magazine, K-Pop is South Korea’s greatest export, continuously experiencing double-digit growth in terms of revenues since the mid-2000s. In 2011 alone, it clocked in US$3.5 billion in gross income.

Some of the K-Pop idols today have Filipino roots: Sandara Park of 2NE1, Cheon Dung of MBLAQ, and Alex Eusebio, former member of U-KISS.

KISPINOY is open to all Filipinos ages 13 and up. Those interested can record their songs and dance performances in booths that will be set up in designated SM malls nationwide.

These recordings will be sent to Korea for screening. The audition dates and venues are as follows: April 22, SM Mall of Asia; April 24-25, SM Pampanga; May 2-4, SM Southmall and SM Davao; May 6-9, SM CDO; May 8-10, SM Megamall; May 12-14, SM North EDSA; May 13-15, SM Cebu; and May 21-23, SM Dasmarinas and SM Bacolod.